Construction for cushion, mattress and chair



April 20, 1965 w. THOMPSON r-:TAL 3,178,735

CONSTRUCTION FOR CUSHION, MATTRESS AND CHAIR Filed May 18, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet l 47 l I I i INVENToRs 46 Loro w. rf/o/uPso/v F/6`.8noaa-nr w/LEN L NORTON B. LEV/NE 52 50 Izzi-l2 4.9 BY

5/ ATTORNEY April 20 1965 L. w. THOMPSON ETAL 3,178,735

CONSTRUCTION FOR CUSHION, MATTRESS AND CHAIR Filed May 18. 1962 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS LLOYD W. 'HOMPSON ROBERT WILLEN NORTON E.LEV/NL BY l ATTORNEY United States Patent 3573535 CGNSTRUCTQN FORCUSHlN, MATTRESS ANE CHAIR ioyd W. Thompson and Robert Willen, HighPoint, and Norton B. Le Vine, Thomasviile, N.C., assignors to PreiudeCorporation, High Point, N13., a corporation of North Carolina Filed May18, 1962, Ser. No. 195,883

2 Claims. (Cl. 5--353 This invention relates to cushions, mattresses andchair seat sections in which polyurethane foam sheets of prefabricatedcontours envelop and assembly formed by a piurality of fabricbag-enclosed aligned springs that form a resilient inner cushion core.

Various constructions for cushions and mattresses, as `well asupholstered furniture including sofas, are well known and are disclosedin United States Letters Patents Nos. 2,785,734; 2,862,214; 2,913,041and 2,953,195, among others. The present invention constitutes animrovement upon the aforesaid Patent No. 2,862,214 by providing manynovel features of construction not heretofore attainable with the use ofrubberized or latex-coated hair which new construction embodies superiorfeatures for producing more uniform cushioning and more pleasingappearance in the ultimately fabric-covered condition.

Utilization of integral bodies of foam rubber or urethane foam forcushioning and mattress construction has not met with consumeracceptance due to the disadvantages of either discomfort, hard spots,springiness, non-uniform resilience, among other reasons. In order toovercome at least some of the aforementioned disadvantages, and toimprove the wear-life and cushioning effect over prolonged periods,cushions and mattresses have been attempted to be made of rubber andurethane foam by laminating or articulating various sections togetherand by interposing between top and bottom foam sheets having spacedcavities, an intermediate iayer, in order to achieve increased comfortwith a minimum of hard spots throughout the cushion. However, thisconstruction has been inadequate to achieve the desired overall uniformresilience, density and to provide the requisite contours for superiorquality cushions.

It has been found to be advantageous to retain the optimum resilienceinherent in coil springs which additionally permits a greater range ofcushioning effects without objectionable hard spots and also a greaterrange of crowned surface contours. Flat urethane sheets have been usedto advantage for covering an assembly of spaced apart orientedfabric-covered coil springs without providing the desired contouredcorners, adequate boxing frame rigidity or crowned boxing in theside-walls.

Therefore, it is one objective of this invention to provide a cushion ormattress construction in which a series of substantially contiguous coilsprings are enveloped or sealed substantially within fabricated planesheets of urethane to form, at least a crowned seating surface ofuniform cushioning resilience without objectionable hard spots.

However, still another objective is the provision of a cushion ormattress construction in which the plane sheets of urethane foam envelopan assembled series of oriented fabric-covered coil springs with thetop, bottom and side walls of the cushion being perimetrically sealed toform rounded and imperceptible corners by exposing but a single surfaceof the covering urethane.

Another objective of this invention is to provide a mattress or cushionconstruction in which reinforced perimetrical support is provided for aseries of assembled coil springs that are enveloped -by cut sheets ofplane urethane foam, which reinforcement is capable of distribaristasuting cushion distorting loads more uniformly throughout the loadbearing coil springs.

A further objective of this invention is to provide a cushionconstruction of superior cushioning characteristics in which the edgesof sheet urethane foam serving as the enveloping material is preventedfrom becoming frayed or ragged by exposing to wear only the singleexposed surface in the form of a perimetrical sealing line.

A further objective of this invention is the provision of a cushionassembly of fabricated sheet urethane enveloping an assembled series ofcoil springs supported on a substantially rigid backing forming asub-assembled chair or sofa section that may be employed as a seat orback rest.

Still another objective of this invention isto provide a superiorconstruction cushion and mattress that may be mass produced economicallyfrom cut sheets of urethane foam which form the top, bottom and sideWalls of the cushion or mattress and enclosing, in prt-:stressedcondition, a plurality of arranged intercoil springs.

@ther objectives and many of the advantages of this invention, and ofthe various embodiments disclosed, will become more readily apparent tothose skilled in this art from the following detailed description takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like charactersof reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several viewsof various types of cushions or mattress constructions shown primarilyin reduced form and without reference to the actual size or orientationof the inncrsprings, and wherein:

FIG. l is a perspective view of one embodiment of a cushion constructionwith the forward side wall opening removed to expose a row of only threeof the interior fabric-covered coil springs;

FIG. 2 is a partial transverse sectional View, somewhat reduced from FG.l, illustrating the orientation of the crowned upper and lowercushioning surfaces, omitting the sprincs, and the joint formedconnecting the top, bottom and side wall FIG. 3 is a view similar toFIG. 2 illustrating a cushion subjected to a load;

FIG. 4 is a partial transverse sectional view of the initial position ofthe sheet urethane foam for forming a modified joint between the top andside walls;

FIG. 5 is similar to FIGA illustrating the joint formed by adhering theexposed edges of FIG. 4 together;

FIG. 6 is a partial rear perspective view of a cushion constructionillustrating the rear side wall panel joint;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of a mattress orcushion construction with portions of the cover removed and a sectioncut out exposing the interior of the cushion;

FG. 8 is a partial transverse sectional view, somewhat reduced, takensubstantially along the plane of section line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a sofa, with portions removed, from theseat and back thereof, illustrating another embodiment of this inventionfor the seat and bach sections of a chair or sofa;

FIG. l0 is a partial transverse sectional view taken substantially alongthe section line of the plane it--l of FlG. 9 and illustrating thecushion contours in outline form only while omitting the coil springs;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged front partial perspective view, with portionsremoved, illustrating the back cushion of the sofa of FIGS. 9 and l0;and

FIG. 12 is a reduced partial transverse sectional view of the seatcushion of FIGS. 9 and 10.

In each of the various embodiments of this invention, plane sheets ofpolyurethane foam, herein referred to sometimes as urethane, having thedesired thickness, density, resilience, porosity and elastic foamrecovery o o properties is fabricated to cover or envelop, as will bemore fully described herein, a plurality of helical spring members eachof which is preferably sealed orcovered within a canvas or fabricmaterial of generally continuous length, each of the spring members issecured within a separate vsection or compartment of the fabricformedbag conventionally referred to in the upholstering and furniture art asMarshall springs, and arranged as shown and disclosed in Patent No.2,862,214. The plane or fiat sheets of urethane have exposed edges thatlack the resistance of compression, resilience and wear abrasion asportions of the urethane, a short distance from the terminal exposededges, tend to be weak by reason of the fact that it lacks the body anddensity to resistwthe load. Therefore, in each embodiment, the exposededges of the plane urethane will adhesively abut contiguous edges toform a neperimetrical seam increasing or making more uniform theresistance to compression and increase the resilience, and by concealingthe right angle terminal edges, the weak exposed edges are not frayed orworn after prolonged use.v

With this preliminary explanation, reference will now be made to FIGS. lthrough 6 in which a small cushion will be described in greater detailalthough it is to be clearly understood that this is without limitationto the size cushion that may be fabricated utilizing this construction,and that the term cushion shall be equally applicable to mattressconstructions.

In FIG. l, a single row of fabric-covered coil springs 20, 21 and 22 isexposed through one open cushion side wall of the spring-envelopingcushion 22 formed by the convexly-contoured perimetrical side walls 24and 25, and the crowned top and bottom cushion walls or surfaces 26 and27 respectively, with the side walls, and top and bottom walls beingformed of fabricated plane sheets of urethane precut to the properdimensions. The row of fabric-covered coil springs -22 forms only one ofa plurality of rows closely oriented to each other within the enclosedcavity or frame 28 formed by the top, bottom and side walls of thecushion. The ne line perimetrical upper and lower substantiallycontinuous seams 29 are formed in thisV embodiment by cutting a V-shapedgroove 30 on opposite edges of the side walls with a hot wire or othersuitable means, continuously along the upper and lower insidelongitudinally-extending edges of the side wall sections forcooperatively receiving therein the inwardly beveled edges 31 of the topand bottom plane sheet surfaces of urethane. The requisite adhesion ofone edge to the other may be achieved with suitable adhesives or by theapplication of heat to one or both of I the edges to be joined together,and thereafter applying suitable pressure to the surfaces bonding oneedge to the other. Depending upon the coefficient of resilience of thesprings and urethane, as well as the extent of the crowned surfacedesired, some of the springs adjacent to the side walls may beprestressed or preloaded by partial compression during the fabrication.This desired result may be achieved by forming the cushion and leavingopposite walls exposed for insertion of the springs. The springsadjacent to the side walls Z4 and 25 and the opposite walls will becompressed or preloaded and the springs located more centrally of thecushion will be extended so as to form the crowned surface in the topand bottom walls.

ered by a suitable upholstering fabric, the tine edges that are notconcealed form an irregular objectionable edge visible in the form of aripple or wave through the cushion covering.

The convex contour of the side wall 24 may be formed by means of a hotwire or buing the urethane so as to present the curved or crownedcontour to the side wall. A more pronounced crown may appear when a loadis applied to the top wall 26 of the cushion projecting the side Wallsoutwardly. A at sheet or rectilinear surface may also be employed forthe side wall with the upper and lower edges suitablyl grooved so as tocooperatively receive the perimetrical edges of the top and bottom wallswithin such groove concealing the thickness of the ureethane and forminga substantially uniform density for the edges. l

A modified embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5for the juncture or joint between the top and side wall construction,which construction is equally applicable to the bottom and side walls,and in which the top urethane sheet 33 has a square or right angle edge34. The thickness of the' side wall urethane sheet 35 is greater thanthat of the top wall 33 permitting a slight overlapping of the surfacesas at 36. Suitable,

adhesive is applied to the overlapping portions, or heat may be applied,and the exposed edges 34 and 37. The edges 34 and 37 are then pressedtogether, as shown in FIG. 5, forming the rounded perimetrical edge 38concealing the `sheet edges and resulting in uniform compressionresistance for the corners 39 and 40 of the urethane sheets of the topand side walls.

Y As the bonding of the various fabricated components forms aspring-receiving core, provision is made for an opening 41 that extendsinto the interior of the cushion, preferably in the rear of the cushionfor the escape and introduction of any air during compression andrelease of any load on the cushion surface. Opening 4l may be .providedby omitting any adhesive material between the edges 42 and 43 of theside walls 44 and 45 respectively.

A further modification of the invention is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8wherein fabric-covered rows and columns of fabric-covered springs 46 areyenveloped by fabricated sheets of urethane, and in which the side wallsor boxing 47 may be formed substantially as shown in FIGS. l, 4 and 5and the top wall 48, as well as the bottom wall, not shown, may bepositioned in substantially the same manner as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.The bottom wall 49, shown in FIG. 8, illustrates the completed joint 50for-med between the bottom and side walls producing the rounded corner51 extending perimetrically around the bottom of the cushion. The topwall 48 is positioned prior to Vfabrication substantially as shown anddescribed for FIG. 4. However, a load distributing reinforcing metalband 52, of circular cross-section, is positioned at the open cornerformed between the side wall 47 and the top wall 48. The joint is formedembedding the reinforcing band 52 within the joint as shown in thecompleted joint for the bottom wall 49 and side wall 47 at 50 with thereinforcing band 52 secured in position. The reinforcing band 52 is'alsoshown in FIG. 7 and extends about the perimeter of the top of thecushion and preferably around the base of the cushion. After fabricationof the cushion, a suitableY fabric or plastic covering 53 havingconventional welts 54 may be placed over the urethane cushion. In soleinstances, it has been found desirable to add a layer of down 55directly over the top and possibly the bottom surfaces of the top andbottom walls and means is provided for retaining the down in positionprior tothe application of an upholstered covering.

In the construction of chairs, sofas and couches, the foundationconstruction requires webbing to support the innerspring construction,padding over the innersprmg Construction and ultimately a loose cushionmay be placed over the padding to provide the requisite cushioning forthe chair or other upholstered piece of furniture. The construction of asub-assembled unit, as more fully shown in FIGS. 9 through 11, willeliminate the costly labor consuming operations of providing thewebbing, coil construction and padding conventionally employed forupholstered furniture. As shown in FIG. 9, the couch 60 is provided inthe seat portion with laterally spaced-apart slats 61 that are mountedwithin a longitudinally extending frame 62. The back of the unit issimilarly provided with laterally spaced apart slats 63 that reach fromthe base frame 64 to the top rail 65. A Prefabricated sub-cushionassembly seat 66 and subasscmbly back 67 may be readily mounted to theseat and back sections of the couch respectively by means of L-shapedhooks 68. Top surface cushions rnay then be placed over thesub-assembled units and supported in position, such as shown in FIG. 9.

The sub-assembled seat and back portions 66 and 67 are more clearlyshown in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 wherein a substantially rigid bottom wallmember 68 formed of Masonite or plywood or other suitable semi-rigidmaterial having the requisite physical characteristics, is utilized asthe base for retaining rows and columns of the fabricencased coilsprings 69. The side walls 70 of each subassembly form a box frame forenclosing the coil springs 69 over which the top wall of sheet urethane71 is placed forming a joint comparable to that shown in FIGS. 1 through5 at 72 resulting in rounded corners 73 bordering the sub-assembledcushion. The crowned surface for the top wall is achieved by compressingthe peripheral springs and the extent of the crown will depend upon theheight of the side walls and the compressability of the springs. Asshown in FIG. 11, the bottom rigid wall 68 is iush with the side wall 70permitting an upholstered fabric 74 to form an envelope about thecushion. The sub-assembled unit shown in FIG. 11 may be positioned as aback member 75 shown in FIG. l0 mounted to the inclined slats 63supported by the rear frame 76 of the sofa. In those instances where anadditional lip or reinforcing edge is necessary for the seat portion,the subassembly 77 for the seat portion may be provided wherein the topand side walls are formed substantially as shown in FIG. 11 with thebottom wall 78 being of substantially rigid material and provided with aplurality of spaced openings enabling air to enter and escape from theinner cavity 80 in which the coils are contained. The covering fabric 81may be suitably tacked to the bottom wall or adhesively secured thereto.The sub-assembly seat 77 is shown secured to the slats 61 in FIG. l0.

Loose surface cushions of the desired length, width and height, similarto those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, may be positioned as seat cushions 82and back cushions 83 on the sofa 66.

In the event a reinforcing canvas member 84 is necessary to protect theurethane top wall 71, this member may be rnade of nylon mesh or othersuitable material.

It will be appreciated that cushions embodying these various inventionsmay be made of the desired length and Width and that the term cushion isnot intended in any limitative sense but is equally applicable tomattresses and innerspring constructions for various uses.

Various modifications and variations may be made in the variousembodiments disclosed of this invention and such modications andvariations are contemplated within the spirit and purpose of thisinvention. Such modifications and variations are contemplated Within theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A construction for a cushion or mattress comprising an encasingstructure having bottom, top and side Walls of sheet urethane defining acompletely enclosed spring-receiving cavity, at least said top and sidewalls having their edge thicknesses contiguously sealed together forminga rounded perimetrical edge concealing the sheet thickness, areinforcing load distributing band embedded in the perimetrical edge,and a plurality of fabric-encased coil springs contiguous to each otherfilling said cavity arranged in rows and columns whereby a load appliedadjacent to the perimetrical edges distributed through the band tosprings remote from the applied load.

2. A construction for a cushion or mattress comprising an encasingstructure having bottom, top and side walls of sheet urethane defining acompletely enclosed springreceiving cavity, at least said top and sidewalls having their edge thicknesses contiguously joined together to forma perimetrical edge concealing the sheet thickness, a reinforcing loaddistributing metal band extending perimetrically around the joint formedbetween at least the top and side walls and concealed therewithin, and aplurality of fabric-encased coil springs contiguous to each otherfilling said cavity whereby load applied adjacent to the perimetricaledge is distributed through the metal band to springs remote from theapplied load.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,239,457 4/41Gibbons 5-361 2,359,003 9/44 Sawyer 5--353 X 2,858,881 11/58 Newall etal. 5-361 X 2,862,214 12/58 Thompson et al 5-353 2,874,758 2/59 Jones5-337 X FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

1. A CONSTRUCTION FOR A CUSHION OR MATTRESS COMPRISING AN ENCASINGSTRUCTURE HAVING BOTTOM, TOP AND SIDE WALLS OF SHEET URETHANE DEFINING ACOMPLETELY ENCLOSED SPRING-RECEIVING CAVITY, AT LEAST SAID TOP AND SIDEWALLS HAVING THEIR EDGE THICKNESS CONTIGUOUSLY SEALED TOGETHER FORMING AROUNDED PERIMETRICAL EDGE CONCEALING THE SHEET THICKNESS, A REINFORCINGLOAD DISTRIBUTING BAND EMBEDDED IN THE PERIMETRICAL EDGE, AND APLURALITY OF FABRIC-ENCASED COIL SPRINGS CONTIGUOUS TO EACH OTHERFILLING SAID CAVITY ARRANGED IN ROWS AND COLUMNS WHEREBY A LOAD APPLIEDADJACENT TO THE PERIMETRICAL EDGES DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THE BAND TOSPRINGS REMOTE FROM THE APPLIED LOAD.